The Secret of the Priest
by Snowfire the Kitsune
Summary: is an average exchange student, but what is she getting herself into when she receives something from a priest?
1. The Chase

I don't own Inuyasha, but Rita and Takato are mine! 

"Rita! I'm going to the mall with some friends!" Eri yells, her short black hair flipping around her ears.

          "Great," Rita rolls her luminous tiger-eyes. As she hears the door shut behind the overzealous teenager walking out the door. "Well, I guess it's time for me to get out of this place and look around." Rita grabs her backpack, the keys to the house, and her wallet. Locking the door she sighs and heads out of the apartment.

          "Ouch! Watch where you're going!" a boy, with black slicked-back hair, glares at Rita rubbing his chest irritably.

          "Gomen," Rita blushes, pushes a bit of red-brown hair behind her ear, and tries to continue.

          The boy blocks her path, and Rita notices that he's an entire head taller than her 5'5", "Where do you think you're going?"

          "Away from people that I will walk into," Rita steps past him and picks up her pace. "Shit! Why is that jerk following me?" Rita begins to run, and soon spies a bunch of steps. "He'll leave me alone if he's exhausted!" She runs up the steps, and finds herself at a shrine. She jumps toward the gift shop, which thankfully is indoors, and closes the door behind her. "Phew! I thought that guy was going to catch me."

          "Konnonichiwa!" a boy slightly older than Rita smiles from behind the counter. His black hair contains blue highlights and his eyes are sky-blue. He is approximately 5'8" and well built or at least he appears to be, wearing his monk robes.

          "Um, can you help me?" Rita swallows hard, "Some guy is chasing me… I bumped into him and apologized, but he started to chase me!"

          "How far was he behind you?" the boy frowns.

          "Half a block, but I think the stairs may have slowed him down a bit," Rita nervously looks over her shoulder at the door.

          "Follow me," the boy frowns as he opens a door and walks into a fairly nice house. "He won't bother you here. I'll be back as soon as he's gone."

          "Thank you," Rita sighs in relief.

          "No problem," the boy smiles.

          "I'm Rita Katana."

          "Takato Haruka," the boy waves to her as he closes the door behind him.

          "Help!" an elderly voice croaks.

Rita immediately runs towards the voice to find an old man that has fallen from his wheelchair, "Are you alright, sir?"

"Hai, but could you help me get back into my chair, miss…?"

"Rita Katana," Rita supplies her name for him and with quite a bit of effort, she has him seated in his wheelchair. The old man is grey headed, wears spectacles over his grayish-blue eyes, and he is rather short.

"Thank you Katana-san, you have a very kind heart," the old man smiles. "I am Youko Haruka, head priest of this shrine."

"You're a priest?" Rita smiles, "I've never met a priest before! It's a pleasure to meet you, Haruka-sama!"

"Please have a seat. Now, why are you here, Katana-san?"

"I'm a foreign exchange student, and as I was leaving my host family's apartment, I accidentally bumped into this boy. He got really angry, and when I apologized he wouldn't let me leave the building. I got past him and the next thing I know he's chasing me. He followed me here and I met Takato-kun, and asked him for help. Takato heard the main problem of my story and let me in here."

"Ah, you are truly a wise girl to come to a shrine. For your help and truthfulness," the old man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a necklace. "Take this necklace as a reward."

"I couldn't accept this, Haruka-sama," Rita gazes kindly at the old man. "It looks to be an antique."

"It is. It is called the Shikon no Tama and I give it to you. Please, always wear it around your neck."

"Doesn't that mean the jewel of four souls?"

"Yes, it does." Takato walks back into the house, "Ojii-chan, why are you giving her the jewel?"

"She has a kind soul and heart. She is also very strong," Youko Haruka chuckles. "There is more to this girl than meets the eye."

"I came to inform Rita-san that the boy that was following you is searching the shrine. He will not be permitted to enter the house," Takato frowns.

"I wonder why he's being so persistent," Rita sighs. "All I did was bump into him and apologize!"

"Some people are strange, Katana-san," Youko frowns.

"Please, Haruka-sama, call me Rita."

"Then you call me Ojii-chan and we'll get along nicely," Ojii-chan chuckles. "You are welcome to stay here until your pursuer leaves."

"He told me he was going to search the grounds, all night," Takato grumbles.

"If it's not too much trouble… I feel safer with you two than I did back at the apartment with my host family," Rita sighs.

"That's a bit different," Takato frowns. "Usually people are more comfortable with their host families."

"This one has a teenage shopping mall addict in it," Rita sighs.

"You're a girl…" Takato began.

"And not all girls like to shop!" Rita rolls her eyes at Takato.

"News to me," Takato shrugs.

"Well, she likes to hang out with her friends, and her mother is always at work. The teen thinks I'm an embarrassment or something because I'm not into the 'cheerleader' thing."

"She's a cheerleader?" Takato winced.

"Yeah, although I bet a few of her cheerleader friends aren't that bad."

"You've met them?" Ojii-chan asks.

"No. I'm not invited to go with her unless her mother orders it. I think she wanted a boy instead of a girl, I also think she wanted a jock," Rita watches as Takato snorts.

"Well, maybe you can call up the exchange agency and get them to change your family to us," Ojii-chan smiles.

"Mom's always wanted a daughter," Takato laughs nervously.

"I'd love to!" Rita grins happily. "Plus, I found out that they were going to be taking a mother-daughter vacation to Hawaii, and planned to have me go home or stay somewhere else!"

"Then it's settled," Ojii-chan smiles happily.

"If I'm to stay here, I want to help out in some way," Rita's expression is deadly serious.

"That would be fine, Rita-san," Ojii-chan smiles and looks at Takato purposefully.

"You don't mind that I'm an American?" Rita looks at both males anxiously.

"Not at all, Rita-san," Ojii-chan chuckles.


	2. Meeting Oka

Once again, I don't own Inuyasha, but I do own Hikari, Youko, and Takato Haruka, as well as Rita Katana!

"So, you must be Rita-san, I am Hikari Haruka, Takato's mother."

"Thank you so much for letting me stay here, Haruka-sama," Rita smiles at Takato's mother. Hikari is about 5'7", her hair is slightly darker than Takato's, and she shares his sky-blue eyes.

"It is no problem at all, and please call me Oka-san, while you stay here," Oka-san smiles at Rita. "Now, why don't you find Takato and coerce him into telling you about the shrine?"

"Hai! Thank you, Oka-san!" Rita grins and heads to Takato's door. She knocks, "Takato-kun?"

"Hai, Rita-san?" Takato pokes his head out the door.

"Oka-san suggested that you might tell me the history of the shrine," Rita blushes.

"Of course," Takato smiles. "I shall search the shrine for the one who chased you. Then I shall take you out onto the shrine grounds and tell you."

"Okay," Rita smiles and hugs Takato. "Thank you, Takato-kun!"

"No problem," Takato blushes.

I apologize for the short chapter, but I getting many reviews for my new stories, so I'm only putting up a few chapters to see how everyone likes them. Please review so I shall know if I should drop this story or not.


	3. Of God Trees and Wells

I don't own Inuyasha!

"I did not see him in the shrine or on the grounds, Rita-san," Takato smiles at her and offers her his arm.

Rita takes it and they begin walking, "Where are we headed, Takato-kun?"

"Rita-san, we are headed toward the God tree."

"Takato-kun, you don't have to be so formal. I consider you a friend," Rita smiles at Takato.

"Then I have your permission to call you Rita-chan?"

"Hai!"

"You are different, Rita-chan, very different."

          "A lot of people in America call it individuality."

          "Here we are, Rita-chan." Takato motions for Rita to sit as he sits down by the base of the trunk, "This is the Sunset Shrine. At one time though, it was a village. There was a priestess guarding the jewel from all demons."

"So she was a miko?" Rita questions.

"Hai, but one day she did not kill the demon that came after the jewel. He was a hanyou. He fell in love with the miko, but a thief that wanted the miko and the jewel destroyed their hope for happiness. The miko was tricked by the thief, and the hanyou stole the jewel. The miko took back the jewel but pinned the hanyou to the tree with an arrow in his heart. The miko died and asked the jewel to be burned with her body."

"Wow!" Rita looks up at the tree. "Their love was not strong enough, ne?"

"No, it was not." Takato stands and offers Rita his hand. "Now we shall visit the ancient well."

"A well?"

"It is where the story continues." Takato sits with his back against the base of the well, and Rita does the same. "The miko was reincarnated, but five-hundred years had passed. She was pulled into the well by a demon, causing her to travel back in time to about fifty years after the hanyou was pinned to the tree. It is said that she freed him, broke the jewel, and they searched for the shards until it was put together. They also searched for the thief that betrayed the miko; because they found out he had become a youkai. They teamed up with a Taiji-ya, a monk, and a kitsune. Eventually they found all the jewel shards. Nothing is said of the thief turned youkai."

          "So, there you are!" it was the boy from earlier at the apartment. Rita and Takato stood up quickly, but as the boy advanced towards them, Rita grabbed Takato's arm. She began to back up, and they both fell into the well, leaving the boy to stare in surprise.


	4. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

I don't own Inuyasha!

"Ouch," Rita rubs her sore back. "Are you alright, Takato-kun?"

          "Hai, Rita-chan," Takato groans. He sits up to see a clear sky, and vines hanging from the well mouth.

          "Takato-kun, how did the reincarnation travel to the Feudal Era?" Rita grabs his arm.

          "Through this well we are sitting in," Takato grimaces.

          "Okay," Rita sighs. "Let's get out of this well and see where we are."

          "Are you alright, Rita-chan?"

          "Takato-kun…we were just transported away from an enemy and now we are possibly in an era with human munching youkai. I don't know what to think," Rita sighs. Takato nods and they climb out of the well. "Isn't that the God tree?" Rita runs toward it, full of life, with Takato running to catch up to her.

          "Rita-chan! Wait!" Takato pushes through the bushes that Rita has seemed to glide through. He hears Rita's gasp and runs at breakneck speed to get to her. He finds her staring at a figure pinned to the God tree by an arrow. She walks up to the tree and the figure. "Rita-chan! Don't move!"

          "Takato-kun?" Rita glances back at her friend in confusion. "It's like your story, ne Takato-kun?"

          "No it's not!"

          "Takato-kun, the reincarnation placed him here."

          "How do you know that, Rita-chan?" Takato sighs.

          "I don't know," Rita continues to walk toward the figure pinned to the tree. She glances at the ears and smiles, "I know you were wrongfully pinned..." She reaches up and gently touches the figure's ears. She stops and places her hand on the arrow, "Why do you seem so familiar?"

          "Rita-chan! Stop!" Takato yells.

          "No," Rita replies. Arrows fly around the three figures by the God tree.

          "Step away from Inuyasha," a taiji-ya steps through the crowd.

          "Inuyasha?" Rita turns and looks at the boy pinned to the tree.

Rita feels and sees Takato put up a barrier. "Lady, why do you attack us?" Takato questions.

          "You are about to wake a great evil!" the villagers scream.

          "You are wrong," Rita smiles softly. "The reincarnation did this to him, correct?"

          "Hai, Kagome-chan did."

          "Then she was wrong as well," Rita frowns at the taiji-ya.

          "How do you know…" the taiji-ya glances down at the girls neck and freezes.

          "Takato-kun, how long can you keep that up?" Rita glances at her friend.

          "A while longer," Takato sighs.

          "You are a monk, why do you protect this demon and the girl who is trying to free him?"

          "She and I are friends. I do not know you or your experiences with this youkai…" Takato began.

          "He's a hanyou, Takato-kun!"

          "Nani? Rita-chan, are you sure?" Takato asks.

          "Hai!" Rita smiles and places her hand on Inuyasha's forehead, "Wake up, Inuyasha-sama."

          "Feh! I'm pinned to this stupid tree, again!" Inuyasha grumbles.

          "Konnonichiwa, Inuyasha-sama!" Rita smiles, "Let's get you off this tree, ne?"

          "Feh!" the hanyou Inuyasha snorts.

          "Maybe you can explain why I know you are innocent of whatever crimes they have charged you with," Rita shrugs, and places her hand on the arrow. It disappears.

          "You released me from that spell?" Inuyasha blinks in surprise.

          "Hey, Takato-kun!" Rita begins to climb down the roots of the giant tree. "How long till it goes down?"

          "Hours," Takato sighs.

          "Inuyasha-sama, could you come down now, but not go in front of Takato-kun?"

          "My name is Inuyasha, not Inuyasha-sama!" Inuyasha grumbles.

          "I'm Rita and that's my friend, Takato-kun. The reincarnation pinned you to the tree, ne? Because the evil one tricked her, like he did the miko, ne?"

          "Hai," Inuyasha growls.

          "Inuyasha," Takato frowns. "You never completed the jewel, did you?"

          "We completed it, because Kikyo gave us Naraku's half of the Shikon no Tama. But Naraku filled it with his evil, and I don't know what happened to Kagome."

          "Inuyasha?" Rita smiles up at the hanyou. "I might be able to answer your questions. Then maybe you or Takato-kun can answer mine... after we get out of firing range, of course."

          "Hop on my back," Inuyasha glares at both of them.

          "Takato-kun, can you make it so they can't follow us?" Rita asks.

          "Hai, but I'll be out of commission to help further," Takato frowns.

          "Please do it," Rita smiles at her friend and they both climb onto Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha took off, "He's asleep." Rita whispers to the hanyou.

          "Feh! I just want to know who the heck you two are and why the heck you freed me!"

          "That's why we have to get away from the taiji-ya and why Takato is covering our trail. How come I know I should whisper to you?"

          "Huh?" Inuyasha turns his head slightly, "Maybe because you know it would hurt my ears."

          "Maybe, but I'm not sure."


	5. Mysterious Knowledge

Hey Seraphina2! You seem to be my only reader on this! So I guess this and any future chapters are written just for you! I bet you'll figure out why Rita knows so much and yet doesn't, in this chapter! Thank you so much for finding that error about my writing slipping up and calling her Rika. I went back and fixed it just because I didn't wish for anyone else to be confused. I've put up a new story, but it's not about Inuyasha. If you are interested you can check it out! I'll try to update on Return of the Shikon, but I'm not on brake anymore, and it's getting harder to get new ideas, but I still haven't introduced you to Riana's mother. So, maybe I'll plan something along those lines. Later!

          Snowfire the Kitsune

"So, how long do you plan for us to stay here, Inuyasha?" Rita cocks her head to the side.

          "Until I find out what I need to know."

          "Good thing I packed some stuff that might be useful in camping out," Rita mutters. "You like ramen, ne?"

          "Hai!" Inuyasha grins, but then frowns.

          "She gave it to you, right?" Rita sighs. "I hope Takato wakes up soon. He knows about your legend and possibly more. He's a priest at the Sunset Shrine in Tokyo. You know the future."

          "So, both of you are from Tokyo?"

          "I'm from America. It's across the ocean, in the opposite direction that China is in. Was Kagome's last name Haruka?"

          "Higurashi."

          "Huh. They must have moved after her death and told the legends to another family who wished to live in the shrine. Or it could be possible that we're from even further from the future than we think we are."

          "Too much thinking can give you a headache," Inuyasha mumbles.

          "Hai, but I wonder what Takato didn't tell me about the well and the Shikon no Tama."

          "How do you know about the jewel?"

          "Take a good look at my necklace. If it's a fake, it's the best I've ever seen. You can smell things, right? Then you should be able to smell Kagome or Naraku on it."

          "It's the jewel," Inuyasha sighs. "Why did you come down the well?"

          "Well… it starts with a guy I bumped into accidentally…" Rita tells him the story. "And that's how we ended up here."

          "So a boy was trying to attack you?"

          "Yeah, and I don't even know the guy. So… would you mind going back with us?" Rita looks at him hopefully.

          "Feh! You're going to be in worse danger when youkai come after you," Inuyasha growls, but nods his consent to go back with them.

          "Domo arigato, Inuyasha," Rita smiles at him. "Can we be friends?"

          "Feh! I don't need friends!"

          "I do," Rita smiles sadly at the floor. "I don't have many in Japan, and so far I have far more enemies than friends." Rita sighs, "Forget it, I need to fix some chow, ne?" Rita prepares the ramen and glances over at Takato. "You knew a monk once, ne Inuyasha?"

          "Perverted hoshi," Inuyasha grimaces. "He died because his air-rip sucked him in."

          "Miroku," Rita frowns. Inuyasha glances at her, a bit startled. "The Shikon no Tama is cursed to lead evil on a deadly chase for glory, only to be crushed in the end. Kikyo, Kagome, Miroku, and many others have suffered. Many more will suffer until the jewel is no longer. Midoriko and Kirara worked together from the start. If nothing else, Kirara will come to us and she will be an ally. Sesshomaru will join us, as will Koga, and Kagura. There are many out for Naraku's blood," Rita shakes her head in confusion. "What the heck was I saying? It sounds like some stupid prophecy."

          "You've never been here before?" Inuyasha glares at Rita.

          "No. I don't even know half of the names I said," Rita frowns, but she gives him a bowl of ramen. "It felt like someone else was speaking through me. I need to talk to Takato."

          "What happened to the 'kun'?" Inuyasha snorted as he began to eat.

          "We don't use it in America," Rita sighs and leans back against the wall. "I miss my dad and even my bratty little sister."

          "You should go back soon," Inuyasha looks to his food.

          "No, I'll get over it. They're safer that way," Rita frowns. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. Maybe things will become clearer. Goodnight Inuyasha."

          "You trust me?" Inuyasha swallows hard.

          "Yes," Rita mumbles sleepily.

          "Then, I guess we're friends," Inuyasha smiles sadly.

          "… Kirara… take care of this… get out of here… protect my rein…" Rita mumbles in her sleep.

          "She even looks familiar in her sleep. I know I've seen her before."

          "Kirara… I'm sorry… couldn't…" Rita sighs, still asleep.


	6. Tylenol and Unusual Nicknames

I don't own Inuyasha!

"Ouch," Takato woke up to a headache.

          "Um, Takato, are you okay?" Rita has been up for a few minutes.

          "Do you have Tylenol?"

          "Yup!" Rita digs in her bag for a small bottle and hands it to Takato. "So, do you have any idea if I might be a reincarnation of someone?"

          "Huh?" Takato blinks as he wakes up and his headache disappears with the medicine.

          "Takato, do you think I might be the reincarnation of someone?"

          "Yeah," Inuyasha grumbles. "I've been thinking most of the night why you look so familiar, it has something to do with Sango."

          "The taiji-ya?" Rita stares at him in confusion. "I did it again."

          "Yeah, but that might be a good thing for us. If you knew how to use a weapon in your past life, it's possible you might remember how to use it in the future," Takato sighs. He catches something in his hand as it headed toward his face. "Thanks Rita, I need the easy breakfast."

          "Where should we go now, Inuyasha?" Rita asks the hanyou.

          "Rita, we haven't bathed in two days!" Takato yelps in shock.

          "I guess hot springs might be a good idea, but far away from the village and the well," Rita frowns. "We don't exactly want to smell nasty to you, Inuyasha. Besides it might hamper us, while we're trying to find Naraku."

          "We're looking for NARAKU?" Takato froze, "No way, not this time."

          "What's wrong with him?" Inuyasha asks Rita.

          "I'm not sure, but I think he's overloaded his brain," Rita whispers back. "Either that or he's lost it."

          "I've not lost it! Dammit Riko!" Takato growls at her.

          "Takato-kun, are you alright? You just called me by a boy's name," Rita raises a brow.

          "I'm fine! Just peachy keen!"


	7. Enter the Lords

I don't own Inuyasha!

"Inuyasha, what do you think about monks?" Takato stares at the water they are soaking in.

          "Well, can't say I've met many, but Miroku was okay, for a perverted hoshi."

          "What do you think about mikos?"

          "Death."

          "Huh?"

          "Well, they both tried to kill me," Inuyasha grumbles.

          "Kikyo and Kagome?"

          "Hai…" Inuyasha glares at Takato, "How do you know about them?"

          "I'm not at liberty to reveal that information, at the moment," Takato winces at Inuyasha's death glare.

          "AHHHHHHHH!"

          "Rita!" both boys scream and jump out of their bath and into their clothes. They run towards her yell.

          "INUYASHA!" Rita screams in fear.

Inuyasha glares and jumps in front of Rita, and finds himself facing a boy that fits Rita's description of the one who had chased her, "What do you want?"

"I came to take the girl back with me," the male glares at Inuyasha. "Give her to me."

"Who are you to order me around?" Inuyasha growls.

"I am the Lord of the Eastern Lands, Seiji."

"I don't care who you are, neko," Inuyasha growls loudly and is about to attack, when Sesshomaru appears.

"Seiji, why are you trespassing on this Sesshomaru's lands?"

Uh oh! What's going to happen now that Sesshomaru's entered the picture? Why was the neko Lord of the Eastern Lands chasing Rita? Keep on reading to find out! See you later!

Snowfire the Kitsune


	8. Seiji's Surprise

I don't own Inuyasha!

"I came to get this girl and get her back to her rightful time, after she hands over the Shikon no Tama," Seiji glares at Inuyasha angrily.

"SEIJI-CHAN!" a woman burst out of the forest and glomps the neko-lord. "Where did you go, Seiji-chan? I missed you!"

"Ack! Sakura! Get off!" Seiji tries, unsuccessfully, to remove her arms from his neck.

"Hello Sakura, I'm Rita. This is Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sesshomaru!" Rita smiles. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru turn to look at Rita in shock.

          "Rita," Takato sighs, "You just called me 'Miroku'."

          "I guess that means you're his reincarnation, ne Takato-kun?" Rita cringes under the attention.

          "Joy! I'm the reincarnation of a hentai monk!" Takato stares up at the sky as if asking for guidance. "But at least I'm not the reincarnation of Midoriko!"

          "Sakura! Stop it!"

          "Um, Takato... Inuyasha…" Rita went ridged. "I think that's who I'm reincarnated from."

          Sesshomaru raises his eyebrows and coldly asks, "You are the reincarnation of the priestess who created that cursed jewel?"

          "Well, it makes sense because the jewel keeps putting memories in my head," Rita frowns. "Did you know that Kagome was also the reincarnation of Midoriko, not Kikyo? Kikyo was just a stand-in until Kagome got here. The problem with Kagome was that she let herself be fooled by Naraku and Kikyo."

          "Get off!" Seiji yelps, "Release me!"

          "Mew!" a noise came from Rita's feet.

Rita stares down and laughs happily, "Kirara! It's great to see you again!"

"Mew! Mew!" Kirara jumps into Rita's arms.

"That's why you look familiar, you resemble Midoriko in the taiji-ya's village cave!" Inuyasha growls in annoyance.

"Sakura! Get off! You're choking me!" Seiji complains as Sakura strangles him.

"Hai, Seiji-chan!" Sakura releases Seiji, causing him to fall flat on his face.

"Be thankful you don't have someone like her, Sesshomaru," Seiji grimaces as he gets a mouthful of dirt.

Sorry about the wait! I've got a lot of other stories that I'm working on and some aren't as advanced as this one! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! See ya around!

Snowfire the Kitsune


	9. Teasing Youkai Lords

I don't own Inuyasha!

"This Sesshomaru actually does have someone that acts similar to your mate, Seiji," Sesshomaru gazes coldly at Seiji a young girl and toad youkai enter the clearing.

          "Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin grins and runs up to the cold Lord, hugging his leg.

          "Sesshomaru-sama! I tried to get her to stay…"

          "That is enough, Jaken."

          "Yes, milord," Jaken bows and hold his staff tightly.

          "Kitty!" Rin smiles and runs to Rita as Rin spots Kirara.

          "Hello Rin, my name is Rita, and this is Kirara," Rita kneels down so Rin can stroke Kirara, who begins to purr appreciatively.

          "Rin is Rin! Where did Rita-chan get the pretty kitty?" Rin asks.

          "She was my previous life's best and only friend, but if she has kittens, you will be the first to have your pick of them," Rita grins down at the little girl.

          "Can Rin? Can Rin have a kitty, if kitty has kitties? Can Rin, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin runs back to Sesshomaru and tugs on his pants.

          "Yes, Rin," Sesshomaru sighed.

          "A promise it is then!" Rita held out her pinky and took Rin's pinky with hers, "Pinky promise! You're not supposed to break it; if you do… something bad is supposed to happen."

          "Would Rin get bad thing?"

          "No, I would, because I made a promise to you," Rita smiles at the child, and releases the child's pinky.

          "I see you are traveling with two more humans, brother," Sesshomaru stares Inuyasha down.

          "So, you have one too, eh, Sesshomaru?" Seiji sighs as he sits up and Sakura plops into his lap.

          "Rin is not my mate," Sesshomaru growls at Seiji.

          "I'd say she's more of your daughter, ne Sesshomaru?" Rita smiles knowingly at the Youkai lord. Sesshomaru nods, keeping his calm, intellectual, front up.

          Suddenly, a tornado like wind ambushed the group, "WHERE IS MY WOMAN! MUTTFACE?!"

          "Koga," Inuyasha growls and manages to intercept the wolf, keeping Sesshomaru, Rin, and Rita at his back.

          "Oh, the wimpy-wolf!" Rita mentally slaps herself for saying that aloud. It causes Inuyasha to smirk and Koga to growl.

          "Where is she, dog-turd?" Koga growls again.

          "Six feet under!" Rita steps away from Sesshomaru and Rin and stands right behind Inuyasha, "He's supposed to be with Ayame, ne?"

          "Hai," Inuyasha whispers back.

          "She died a long time ago," Rita spoke up again, but she had developed a strong grip on Inuyasha's haori. "Naraku killed her."

          "That bastard!" Koga spit out angrily.

          "You can help us kill Naraku, but you have to find Ayame, first!" Rita feels Inuyasha's hair brush her cheek, and she shivers slightly.

          "Fine! I will… AYAME?!" Koga's mouth was wide open as he turned quickly and took off to find his promised, future mate.

          "Well, that was amusing," Sesshomaru's mouth twitches to an almost smile.

          "Now we still have to talk to Kagura…" Rita frowns. Everyone around her but Inuyasha goes silent. "Hello, she hates Naraku with every fiber of her being!"

          "Rita, what are we going to do about my brother and the neko?" Inuyasha growls irritably.

          Rita walks over to the neko lord and the cat-girl sitting in his lap, "Sakura! Hey girl, could you take your mate and keep him at home? I'll give you candy!" Rita pulls out a lollypop and holds it in front of Sakura.

          "You're really think that is going to work?" Takato snorts.

          "HAI! HAI! HAI!" Sakura bounces up and down in Seiji's lap, making Seiji moan.

          "Okay! Here you go!" Rita hands over the now unwrapped lollypop to Sakura. Sakura bounces up and down on Seiji's lap a lot.

          Takato sweat drops, "I guess it did work."

          Sesshomaru and Rin follow Inuyasha, Rita, and Takato away from the clearing, leaving the two neko youkai alone, "Can Rin have some candy, Sesshomaru-sama?"

          "Don't worry Sesshomaru," Rita smiles up at the great youkai. "Just make sure she doesn't eat more than one a day. If she does, she'll drive even you near madness," Rita handed Sesshomaru a small bag of candy. Sesshomaru frowns at the thought that his pup could drive him insane, "Trust me, it'll be worse than when Inuyasha is annoying you." That thought made Sesshomaru pale.


	10. Negotiations

I don't own Inuyasha!

"So, how are we supposed to find Kagura?" Takato frowned at Rita.

          "I kinda figured that she would find us, we'd fight and talk at the same time so that Naraku won't get suspicious," Rita shrugged.

          "You're serious?!" Takato repeatedly slammed the palm of his hand to his forehead. "Why did I get stuck with the hyper-reincarnation of Midoriko?!"

          "Stupid ningen," Sesshomaru chuckled.

          "Yeah! Stupid…" Rin paused. "Sesshomaru-sama! Rin wants to know what is a ningen? Jaken calls Rin a stupid ningen all the time!"

          "Ningen means human, Rin," Sesshomaru sighed.

          "Does that mean that Sesshomaru-sama thinks that Rin is stupid, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin pouted.

          "No, Rin…" Sesshomaru unconsciously growled at the thought of the toad.

          "Rin, Sesshomaru-sama thinks that you are a very pretty little girl, and he thinks that you are one of the smartest and prettiest little girls in the whole world," Rita soothed the child and Sesshomaru gave her a nod for his gratitude.

          "Really?! Sesshomaru-sama thinks Rin is pretty and smart?!" Rin looked up to Sesshomaru and watched him affirm what Rita had told her, "Yeah! Rin pretty and smart! What's smart mean Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin cocked her head.

          "It means that you know more than many other ningens," Sesshomaru sighed at his ward's endless questioning.

          "So, Rin is smart like Rita-chan!" Rin grinned as she looked up at Sesshomaru.

          "Hai," Sesshomaru chuckled as Rin danced around him happily.

          "I just realized that we never found Shippo," Inuyasha groaned.

          "The fox left after you were pinned to the tree, little brother," Sesshomaru frowned. "Someone is nearby."

          "Kagura…" Inuyasha growled, as he stepped protectively in front of Rita.

          "Inuyasha, I thought your last bitch planted you to a tree. Yet, it appears you still have not learned your lesson from the first two and sworn off humans all together!" Kagura sneered.

          "Hey, Kagura! Naraku holds your heart, right?" Rita's mind went into negotiations mode.

          "How do you know this, stupid ningen?" Kagura growled.

          "It's not important HOW I know, but what deal we'd like to make with you," Rita smirked. "Really, Naraku holds Onigumo's heart, and he infused it into you so that he would never have to worry about a human heart. Kanna will turn, if he is killed and she will always stay by your side, as your sister."

          "She would?" Kagura frowned, as she tensed and leapt to cross swords with Inuyasha, "So, what are you offering me?"

          "We'll kill Naraku, but we need your help in getting us to the castle and pointing out the real Naraku," Rita kept her face devoid of all emotion, to help insure Kagura that she was serious. Inuyasha and Kagura's blades crossed and they both jumped away.

          "And I get my freedom, one way or another? I don't believe you, ningen," Kagura smirked and chuckled. "Is the demon Lord too weak to attack me or has he just gone soft?"

          "You will eat your words, woman," Sesshomaru growled as he left Rin in Rita, Kirara's, and Takato's capable hands.

          Though it may have been no noticeable change, Kagura was giving a lot of ground while both brothers' were fighting together, and she was sneakily showing them the way to Naraku. Sesshomaru and Takato were next to notice, and then Inuyasha caught on to Kagura's plan. Kirara forced the three humans on her back and took off into the sky, following the three fighting demons from above.


	11. Sad Goodbyes and Cheerful Hellos

I don't own Inuyasha!

"Oh Naraku! Why don't you come out and play instead of sending your lackeys? I mean what are you, afraid of a hanyou, an inu youkai, a neko, and three silly little humans?" Rita goaded Naraku to come out and play. "Are you really that afraid of us Naraku? Are we that scary?"

"I am scared of no one, mortal wench," Naraku sneered as he came out of a bit of miasma.

"Oh, I still think you're scared. I mean, whose to say that you're not just another puppet, and the miasma is just a parlor trick," Rita pretended to be a bit ditzy, knowing that it was the real Naraku. "I mean, why put up all the smoke and mirrors if you are as powerful as you claim to be? Unless you have something to hide, like you're not really here."

"Insolent wretch!" Naraku had finally lost his temper and the miasma dissipated behind him.

"You know, Naraku… or should I call you Onigumo? I mean, technically, you're still him because you're in his body and he's just a stupid ningen, as you like to call us. Oh! Idea! If you're in Onigumo's body, being indwelled or processed by demons, doesn't that make you a hanyou?"

At that point Naraku was so angry, that he missed seeing Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stop fighting Kagura, and aim their weapons at him. Naraku closed his eyes in rage, and so he also missed Rita draw an arrow, purifying it, and adding a holy scroll from Takato to it. Together all of their attacks hit Naraku, causing him to appear fine at first, but then he began to shake and quiver and finally, he exploded. Kirara incinerated his ashes with her flames.

Thus Naraku was gone from this world.

* * *

"So, little brother, will you be returning with these two mortals?" Sesshomaru frowned. 

"Yeah, we've got a bit of unfinished business with the Lord of the Eastern Lands," Inuyasha smirked.

"Um, Inuyasha, don't you mean Takato and I have unfinished business with that moronic cat?" Rita crossed her arms and scowled at the hanyou dog demon. "You have no such problem with him. He was the one that was chasing me, tried to scare me to death, and nearly attacked Takato and myself."

"Feh! And here I thought we were friends," Inuyasha snorted.

"Wha…" Rita's eyes were shocked and delighted by Inuyasha's announcement, that just as she was about to go forward and hug the stubborn hanyou, a bright pink blob came and started to naw on his cute puppy ear.

"SHIPPO!" Inuyasha growled as he bopped the kitsune child on the head, causing the kit to yelp in pain and back off.

"Inuyasha! You big meanie!" Shippo pouted and pretended to cry.

"Um…" Inuyasha blinked at the slightly larger shippo in surprise, for now he looked about ten years old.

Rita smiled at Inuyasha fondly before winking at him, and picking up Shippo, "Jeepers and here I thought kitsunes were supposed to be extremely handsome, but you are just adorably cute!" At this announcement Shippo turned quite red with embarrassment. "Now, you know, you'd be extremely cute if you didn't pick on Yasha all the time, Tail-boy."

"…" Shippo nodded in his own stupor, causing both brothers to chuckle when the dazed kit was set down on the ground.

Then, without warning, Rita ran to Inuyasha and hugged him, "Thank you."

"For what?" Inuyasha asked as he returned her hug, but he received no answer.

"GIRL!" it was Seiji, the moronic cat demon.

"What is it now, Sage," Rita turned in Inuyasha's arms to face the neko Lord.

"S—s—s…" the neko sputtered.

"That is the translation of your name in America, or didn't you know that?" Rita smirked, remarkably like Inuyasha.

"You ARE going back to your time! And I'm going to take you!" he growled.

Inuyasha growled right back, tightening his hold on Rita, "She's going nowhere with you, baka neko!"

"I beg to differ!" Seiji glared at the hanyou angrily, "She set Sakura on me!"

"From what I understand, you are theother neko'smate," Sesshomaru replied blandly.

"Yeah, but…" Seiji sighed. "You have to go back, girl. I refuse to fight with the likes ofa hanyou bastard."

"Why you…" Inuyasha began to growl loudly.

"You! You!" Rita brushed Inuyasha's arms off of her, before advancing on the neko. "HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY FRIEND! INUYASHA ISN'T A BASTARD YOU! YOU! YOU BAKA NO BAKA!" Rita growled before she punched Seiji, the Neko Lord of the Eastern Lands in the kisser, causing him to fall backwards.

"Whoa!" Takato blinked in awe as he watched Rita smile and go stand beside Inuyasha.

"That felt good," she grinned up at Inuyasha, who was looking at her with a surprised expression. "Hey, you okay Yasha?"

"Why…?" Inuyasha asked.

"A) He insulted my friend. No one insults my friends. B) He's a bastard, not you. C) I got mad," Rita blushed slightly.

"So, Sesshomaru-sama, does this mean that you and Inuyasha are no longer enemies?" Takato asked the demon Lord.

"We never were enemies… exactly," Sesshomaru replied coldly.

"Awe!" Rita hugged the now shocked demon Lord and quickly released him, "Hey Maru, don't be a stranger, I consider you a friend as much as Takato and Rin."

"…" Sesshomaru was too stunned to say anything.

"Well, you and Yasha have fought before and you never killed each other before, so why would you start now?" Shippo frowned.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin likes puppy-man, tail-boy, quiet boy, and nice lady," Rin tugged on his pants leg. "Can we go home now, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Hai Rin," Sesshomaru nodded to the strange trio, that he could now consider his friends and brother, and he flew off with Rin in his arm.

"Hey, guys, I think it's time we head back too," Inuyasha smiled fondly at the new band of misfits.

"Inuyasha, are you sick?" Shippo asked confused.

"Shut up runt," Inuyasha smirked, as he let Rita climb on his back. Kirara transformed, letting Takato on her back before she motioned for Shippo to hop on as well.

* * *

When they reached the well, all of his passengers hopped off. Takato smiled at Inuyasha, "It's been interesting meeting you Inuyasha. You are welcome in my home, and time, anytime." 

"Same to you monk," Inuyasha smirked.

"Please don't remind me of that," Takato winced, before waving bye to Shippo and jumping down the well.

Rita smiled at Inuyasha, as she hugged Shippo. She let the little kitsune go, and walked up to the hanyou… "Hey, don't start crying on me now, stupid girl."

"Thank you, Inuyasha, for giving me another reason to stay in Japan," Rita whispered softly into his ear.

"You were going to leave?" Inuyasha began to pout.

"Yasha, I think my family would be thrilled to meet you," Rita smiled at the dog demon.

"You're going back," Inuyasha sighed miserably.

"Not forever," Rita hugged the sad demon before pecking him on the cheek. "Remember, I have the Tama, I'm going to need someone to protect me from the demons in my time. You and I both know that Takato isn't the one for the job. He can ward off irritating nekos, but he's nothing like you."

"Kirara's going with you… isn't she?" Inuyasha smiled weakly.

"She's my oldest friend, Inuyasha, but I've talked her into staying with you. This way you can get one up on that stupid Taijiya and you can practice with Tetsusaiga," Rita bit her lip. "Promise to remember me?"

"I'll never forget you," Inuyasha replied.

"Just as I'll never forget you… Inuyasha," Rita swallowed as she stepped away from her hanyou friend, waved, and jumped. Just as she jumped, Inuyasha could smell her tears. He tried to follow her, but he couldn't get through the well, and he knew… she wouldn't be able to either.

* * *

"Takato… did it all really…" Rita started as the two friends stood in the well. 

"It happened, Rita. Never doubt it," Takato replied as he climbed the ladder.

"I miss him already," Rita murmured to herself.

"SHIT!" Takato yelped as he was yanked and dragged up the well by an incredibly steamed neko youkai.

"Oh crap! I'd forgotten why we'd jumped into the well in the first place!" Rita gaped in horror as the neko growled down the well, staring at her angrily. Knowing that the neko must have reached the well before hey had. "Oh… help," Rita reached to the Shikon around her neck and was shocked to find it gone.

"Need a hand?" a smug voice called from behind the neko demon. "It seems that you've forgotten why you were forbidden from my brother's lands and from this shrine, Seiji!"

After a few moments of hearing yelps, moans, and groans, a silvery head appeared at the top of the well…

"Inuyasha!"

The End.....................................…or is it The Beginning?


End file.
